Musky AtlasEverything Musky

Legal

Catch Log and Photo Policy

Dated: October 20, 2026
Site: muskyatlas.com
Operator: Musky Atlas, a Brand Forge property
Legal entity: [LEGAL ENTITY - CONFIRM]

This is a draft prepared for attorney review. It is not legal advice and is not to be published as final until reviewed. This Policy is part of the Musky Atlas Terms of Use and works with the Privacy Policy.

1. The core promise

Private by default. Public means lake level only, never your spot.
Musky anglers protect their water. Musky Atlas is built so you can get the value of a serious log without giving away where you fish.

2. Visibility levels

Every catch log entry has one visibility setting, chosen by you:

  • Private (default). Visible only to you. Used for your personal log, exports, and your private analytics. Included only in aggregated, de-identified statistics as described in the Privacy Policy.
  • Trip Group. Visible to members of a trip group you select (for example, your fishing crew). Trip group members see the fields you log for that entry, including any location detail you type into that group entry. Choose trip group members you trust; anything shared in a group can be copied by its members, and we cannot control onward sharing by a group member.
  • Public. Visible on the Site as described in Section 3. Public is always opt-in, per catch. Nothing becomes public automatically, and making one catch public does not make any other catch, photo, or log public.

You can change visibility, edit, or delete an entry at any time in your account. Changing a public entry to private removes it from Site display, subject to the Terms of Use license for copies already distributed.

3. What "public" actually shows

A public catch may show only:

  • The lake name (and state or province), from the lake field you selected.
  • Date at day level (and season or month where day-level would be revealing for a small water, at our discretion).
  • Fish length (and girth if you logged it), bait or lure category or specific product if you chose to attach it, casting or trolling, and released status.
  • Your display name (or "Verified Angler" if you use an anonymous display option we offer).
  • A public photo, if you separately choose to attach one and it passes Section 4.

A public catch never shows:

  • GPS coordinates, map pins, or exact location of the catch.
  • Launch, access point, structure, depth spot, or notes fields, unless you deliberately type location detail into a field that is labeled public (fields that are never shown publicly are labeled in the log form).
  • Other anglers' locations or information.

Do not type a specific spot, coordinates, or another person's location into notes or any public field. We may edit, make private, or remove a public entry that reveals a specific spot contrary to this Policy.

4. Photos and metadata (EXIF)

Phone and camera photos can embed metadata (EXIF), including GPS coordinates, date and time, and device information.

  • Stripping on public display. Before a photo is served publicly on the Site, we strip EXIF location metadata (GPS and related location tags) from the publicly displayed copy. We also do not display a downloadable original for public photos.
  • Private and trip group photos. Photos attached to private entries stay private with the entry. Photos attached to trip group entries are visible to that group in the form shared. Do not rely on the Site to strip metadata from a file you download or share outside the Site; a file you export or download may contain the metadata in the original you uploaded.
  • Practical warning. If a location is sensitive, the safest choice is not to upload that photo publicly at all. Background landmarks in an image can reveal a location even with metadata stripped.
  • Rights. Only upload photos you took or have permission to use, showing people who have consented where a reasonable expectation of privacy applies. Do not upload another angler's catch photo as your own.
  • Fish care. Photos should reflect legal, ethical handling. We may remove photos showing illegal activity, a fish kept contrary to applicable regulations as depicted, or gratuitous harm.

5. Verified catches

Verification is an integrity feature, not a record certification.

  • A "Verified" badge may be granted when an entry includes a clear bump board or measuring device photo showing the fish and the measurement, plus the required log fields (lake, date, length, bait or method).
  • Verification can be revoked at any time if we find a problem with the photo or the entry. A "Verified" badge is not a certification of any record by Musky Atlas or any record-keeping body.
  • We may review, accept, question, or revoke verification at our discretion, including where a photo appears altered, a measurement is unreadable, or details are inconsistent.
  • Verified catches feed lake-level features (for example, counts of verified 50-inch class fish by lake and season) and gear evidence counts, always at lake level or broader, never at spot level.
  • Verification by Musky Atlas does not certify a state, provincial, IGFA, Hall of Fame, or any other record. Record claims must be submitted to, and are governed by, the applicable official body.
  • False or manipulated entries submitted for verification are a Terms of Use violation and may result in badge removal and account action.

6. Aggregated use of log data

Private and trip group entries contribute only to aggregated, de-identified statistics (for example, catches by lake and month, by bait category, by condition band) used to improve forecasts, patterns, and gear evidence, as described in the Privacy Policy. We do not publish, sell, or provide your private entries, your spots, or a list of your catches to resorts, guides, manufacturers, sponsors, or other users. A guide, resort, or partner has no access to your log unless you are in a trip group with them and choose to share an entry there.

7. Children and other people's information

Do not log catches or upload photos for another person, including a minor, without that person's consent (or a parent or guardian's consent for a minor). If a parent or guardian asks us to remove a minor's information or photo, we will do so promptly on verification.

8. Removal and correction requests

  • Your own content: edit, make private, or delete it at any time in your account.
  • Content about you or your rights: if a photo or entry shows you, your minor child, your property, or your copyrighted work without permission, contact privacy@muskyatlas.com with a link or description of the content and the basis for removal. We will review and remove or restrict content that violates this Policy, the Terms of Use, or applicable law, and respond within a reasonable period.
  • Spot exposure concern: if you believe a public entry reveals a specific spot contrary to this Policy (yours or, in a clear case, another angler's), report it through the same contact. We may make the entry private while we review.
  • Business information: guides, resorts, and shops may request correction of factual listing information derived from a catch or review through the partner contact on the Site. Editorial opinions and accurate catch reports are not removed on request.

9. Changes

We will post changes to this Policy on this page and update the draft/effective date. Material changes to how private logs are handled will be announced to account holders before taking effect.

Contact: privacy@muskyatlas.com
Operator: Musky Atlas, a Brand Forge property
Legal entity: [LEGAL ENTITY - CONFIRM]